Complex RF systems design with SystemVue
Dr. Victor Dupuy
Thales DMS
Abstract
Electronic warfare systems are known as complex designs involving:
THALES DMS has been looking for a more advanced simulator not only able to deal with all of these topics in a single simulation environment but although capable of delivering a true virtual prototype of the full system. Indeed, there is a strong interest all the way from architecture to integration and validation steps for such a virtual prototype in order to both reduce development costs and achieve the best performances possible.
KEYSIGHT provides such a tool with SystemVue which is a focused electronic design automation (EDA) environment for electronic system-level (ESL) design. It enables system architects and algorithm developers to innovate the physical layer (PHY) of wireless and aerospace/defense communications systems and provides unique value to RF, DSP, and FPGA/ASIC implementers. As a dedicated platform for ESL design and signal processing realization, SystemVue replaces general-purpose digital, analog, and math environments. SystemVue "speaks RF", cuts PHY development and verification time in half, and connects to your mainstream EDA flow.
This joint tutorial made by THALES DMS and KEYSIGHT will cover all the major design steps of an complex RF system for electronic warfare applications done with SYSTEMVUE and its RF engine SPECTRASYS through the example of an ongoing development at THALES DMS.
Electronic warfare systems are known as complex designs involving:
- Large input bandwidth (greater than a decade)
- State of art performances
- Harsh environments (airborne and naval applications)
- Multiple frequency conversions
- Strong spectral purity constraints
- Multiple tones signals
- Wide dynamic performances
THALES DMS has been looking for a more advanced simulator not only able to deal with all of these topics in a single simulation environment but although capable of delivering a true virtual prototype of the full system. Indeed, there is a strong interest all the way from architecture to integration and validation steps for such a virtual prototype in order to both reduce development costs and achieve the best performances possible.
KEYSIGHT provides such a tool with SystemVue which is a focused electronic design automation (EDA) environment for electronic system-level (ESL) design. It enables system architects and algorithm developers to innovate the physical layer (PHY) of wireless and aerospace/defense communications systems and provides unique value to RF, DSP, and FPGA/ASIC implementers. As a dedicated platform for ESL design and signal processing realization, SystemVue replaces general-purpose digital, analog, and math environments. SystemVue "speaks RF", cuts PHY development and verification time in half, and connects to your mainstream EDA flow.
This joint tutorial made by THALES DMS and KEYSIGHT will cover all the major design steps of an complex RF system for electronic warfare applications done with SYSTEMVUE and its RF engine SPECTRASYS through the example of an ongoing development at THALES DMS.
History, Motivation and Focus
The tutorial will start with an introduction by Victor Dupuy of electronic warfare systems consisting in some fundamental knowledge before going deeper in the key designs challenges and a summary of the state of the art of existing systems. The main similarities and differences between electronic warfare systems and civilians applications will be discussed too.
Then a global presentation of SystemVue will be made by Riccardo Giacometti with the following topics:
1) SystemVue provides RF architects with accurate models and innovative analysis tools in their native frequency domain, enhancing them with vector modulation analysis and link-level coded performance. SystemVue also connects with both circuit level design flows (such as Keysight ADS) and baseband designers, as part of a system-level cockpit that follows through into verification.
2) PHY System Architects will benefit from SystemVue with its simple and easy "model-based design" workflow, with multi-domain modeling for RF, baseband, and algorithms. It provides fast, link-level analysis of Layer 1 systems, and links Baseband and RF architectures together with implementation and test, so that practical systems are designed quickly and shared easily.
3) SystemVue brings Keysight-grade reference IP and simple modeling of analog/RF effects to the entire baseband signal-processing design flow. PHY System Verifiers can virtualize the entire Physical Layer of the design, including the RF, to accelerate the design flow and establish interoperability at the earliest possible point in the project, while providing configurable, bit-true, cycle-accurate test vectors for hardware design.
4) SystemVue supports baseband modeling in graphical blocks, MATLAB Script models, C++, and co-simulation with VHDL/Verilog simulators. It also accepts RF X-parameter models (from Advanced Design System) and Fast Circuit Envelope (FCE) models (from GoldenGate), providing fast, bottom-up verification at the system-level after implementation. Combined with connection to the latest test equipment, SystemVue enables a cross-domain, “model-based design” flow from concept to hardware validation.
5) SystemVue provides the following analysis engines:
In this tutorial, we will mainly focus on RF Design Kit Spectrasys (part 3 by Victor Dupuy) and Phased Array analysis (part 4 by Riccardo Giacometti).
RF Design Kit Spectrasys is a spectral domain engine which allows engineers to specify entire spectrums, including measured data for frequency sources. This approach brings new simulation solutions such as user-defined paths; level diagrams; full-node spectrums at any node; measurement and path independent schematics; origin identification and travel path of each spectral component; viewing phase of any spectral component; analysis of parallel paths; and directional power flow.
Through the example of an ongoing development at THALES DMS, this tutorial will cover all the major design steps of an complex RF system for electronic warfare applications done with SYSTEMVUE and its RF engine SPECTRASYS. Not only the methodology for a successful design will be presented, but although the provision and benefits of SystemVue will be exhibited by examples of multi-tones simulations, detailed spectrum analysis and non-linear simulations. Capacities in terms of component modeling and description will be addressed too through the example of critical components such as mixers and frequency multipliers and the awareness of their frequency dependence.
The Phased Array simulation engine along with the RF Phased Array models were introduced to allow users to easily create and simulate Phased Array systems. Although a Phased Array system can have hundreds or thousands of parts and paths, SystemVue's special "smart" RF Phased Array models allow designer to create the system as a simple single chain. Under a Phased Array simulation, the RF Phased Array models as well as other RF models used in the design know how to replicate themselves to match the number of paths at any point in the system based on the splitter/combiner stages before and after them. This allows a very easy and compact representation of the system no matter how many elements the antenna has. The alternative, that is, to explicitly draw all paths and manually combine/split them would be very time consuming and error-prone even for moderate sized systems and is impossible for large systems. On top of the nodes and paths measurements (similar to Spectrasys simulation results), Phase array simulation provides phase array measurements such as Directivity and beam measurements.
The tutorial will start with an introduction by Victor Dupuy of electronic warfare systems consisting in some fundamental knowledge before going deeper in the key designs challenges and a summary of the state of the art of existing systems. The main similarities and differences between electronic warfare systems and civilians applications will be discussed too.
Then a global presentation of SystemVue will be made by Riccardo Giacometti with the following topics:
1) SystemVue provides RF architects with accurate models and innovative analysis tools in their native frequency domain, enhancing them with vector modulation analysis and link-level coded performance. SystemVue also connects with both circuit level design flows (such as Keysight ADS) and baseband designers, as part of a system-level cockpit that follows through into verification.
2) PHY System Architects will benefit from SystemVue with its simple and easy "model-based design" workflow, with multi-domain modeling for RF, baseband, and algorithms. It provides fast, link-level analysis of Layer 1 systems, and links Baseband and RF architectures together with implementation and test, so that practical systems are designed quickly and shared easily.
3) SystemVue brings Keysight-grade reference IP and simple modeling of analog/RF effects to the entire baseband signal-processing design flow. PHY System Verifiers can virtualize the entire Physical Layer of the design, including the RF, to accelerate the design flow and establish interoperability at the earliest possible point in the project, while providing configurable, bit-true, cycle-accurate test vectors for hardware design.
4) SystemVue supports baseband modeling in graphical blocks, MATLAB Script models, C++, and co-simulation with VHDL/Verilog simulators. It also accepts RF X-parameter models (from Advanced Design System) and Fast Circuit Envelope (FCE) models (from GoldenGate), providing fast, bottom-up verification at the system-level after implementation. Combined with connection to the latest test equipment, SystemVue enables a cross-domain, “model-based design” flow from concept to hardware validation.
5) SystemVue provides the following analysis engines:
-
Data Flow - Performs a data-driven analysis of data-driven models.
-
Phased Array - Performs an analysis of RF phased array systems consisting of different antenna configurations (linear, rectangular, circular, or custom), sizes, and architectures.
-
RF Design Kit Spectrasys - Performs a system-block-level non-linear analysis on the entire system to determine if all system-level requirements are met.
-
SystemC - Performs a SystemC analysis on a design that contains SystemC models.
In this tutorial, we will mainly focus on RF Design Kit Spectrasys (part 3 by Victor Dupuy) and Phased Array analysis (part 4 by Riccardo Giacometti).
RF Design Kit Spectrasys is a spectral domain engine which allows engineers to specify entire spectrums, including measured data for frequency sources. This approach brings new simulation solutions such as user-defined paths; level diagrams; full-node spectrums at any node; measurement and path independent schematics; origin identification and travel path of each spectral component; viewing phase of any spectral component; analysis of parallel paths; and directional power flow.
Through the example of an ongoing development at THALES DMS, this tutorial will cover all the major design steps of an complex RF system for electronic warfare applications done with SYSTEMVUE and its RF engine SPECTRASYS. Not only the methodology for a successful design will be presented, but although the provision and benefits of SystemVue will be exhibited by examples of multi-tones simulations, detailed spectrum analysis and non-linear simulations. Capacities in terms of component modeling and description will be addressed too through the example of critical components such as mixers and frequency multipliers and the awareness of their frequency dependence.
The Phased Array simulation engine along with the RF Phased Array models were introduced to allow users to easily create and simulate Phased Array systems. Although a Phased Array system can have hundreds or thousands of parts and paths, SystemVue's special "smart" RF Phased Array models allow designer to create the system as a simple single chain. Under a Phased Array simulation, the RF Phased Array models as well as other RF models used in the design know how to replicate themselves to match the number of paths at any point in the system based on the splitter/combiner stages before and after them. This allows a very easy and compact representation of the system no matter how many elements the antenna has. The alternative, that is, to explicitly draw all paths and manually combine/split them would be very time consuming and error-prone even for moderate sized systems and is impossible for large systems. On top of the nodes and paths measurements (similar to Spectrasys simulation results), Phase array simulation provides phase array measurements such as Directivity and beam measurements.
Speakers
Basic Structure of the Tutorial
Part 1: Introduction to electronic warfare systems architecture
- Dr. Victor Dupuy / Thales DMS FRANCE /
- Riccardo Giacometti / KEYSIGHT /
Basic Structure of the Tutorial
Part 1: Introduction to electronic warfare systems architecture
- Key design challenges
- Fundamental knowledges
- Existing architectures
- Principle of operation
- User interface
- Main capabilities
- Methodology of design
- Advanced simulations
- Virtual prototyping
- Key features
- Design and optimization examples
Victor Dupuy received his MS degree in electrical engineering from the ENSEIRB-MATMECA, Talence, France and his PhD degree in electrical engineering from the University of Bordeaux, France in 2014. His research activities focused on the design of GaN MMIC high power amplifiers with high efficiency. He joined THALES DMS, Elancourt, FRANCE in 2014 where he worked as an MMIC designer for airborne and military applications. Since 2016, he works at THALES DMS, BREST, FRANCE where he is an RF architect for electronic warfare systems. He holds 4 patents with THALES and has published more than 10 conference papers.